Perfect Day
by mind on autopilot
Summary: Nothing was perfect from a realist's viewpoint. But this was close to it. Ino x Shikamaru songfic


_**Perfect Day**_  
by: mind on autopilot :)  
songfic: Ino x Shikamaru  
song: "Perfect Day" by Baumer  
disclaimer: The characters in this story does not belong to me.

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He didn't know if he was feeling out of sorts tonight or if the promise of a new year prompted him to be more daring than usual. Being a genius has its downfalls. He had gone through hundreds of possible scenarios, weighing one against the other and had imagined her reactions to all of them. He can only conclude one thing: troublesome.

"C'mon, she's worth it, right?" his best friend, Chouji had urged.

He wanted to grumble and instead settled for a sigh. It's not a question of whether she was worth it or not. No, Shikamaru's fears could be summed up neatly into one word: rejection.

"Yeah, but at least you'll know instead of mulling over it."

He scowled. Since when did he voice his thoughts out loud? He absolutely was _not _mulling like some sort of...emotional lovesick fool. And since when did Chouji become his personal cheerleader anyways?

"When you started spacing out and mumbling about her."

"What! I do not! Shouldn't _you_ be preparing for tonight?"

Chouji grinned, his eyes crinkling into small slits. "Just call her already and ask. You're driving me nuts."

Chouji was right. No backing out, do it. Do it, Shikamaru. Call her.

He picked up the phone and...promptly deflated. She's going to say no. She's going to laugh and then his heart will break into a million pieces and he can never find all of them to piece them back together and...and...he's going nuts. Chouji had left already so he no longer had someone pep talking him to call her. Okay, he's going to do it. Think of it like a move on a chessboard, he told himself. Calm. Breathe.

"Hello?"

"er...Ino?"

"Shikamaru? Is that you?"

"Yeah."

"What's up?"

When he didn't immediately reply, her voice took on a worried edge. "Anything wrong?"

"No, no...you don't already have any plans tonight, right?"

There was another pause, this time from her end. He realized he was gnawing his fingertip in anxiety and stopped immediately. He was usually so calm and collected. How could a girl reduce him to this? It's irrational; he had known her forever so he shouldn't...

Her voice broke into his thoughts. "No, I don't."

"Good. Come with me tonight?"

"Where?"

"Just come. At 9:30pm. I'll pick you up."

There was another pause and he thought she was going to say no.

"Okay."

He didn't remember what he said or what she said after that. She had agreed!

"So where are we going?" she had asked him in the car.

He smirked. "You'll see."

When she didn't answer, he glanced at her. She was tracing the outlines of buildings on the passenger window with her fingertip. She looked stylish and lovely in a sweater, skirt, and boots and he was glad he had put more thought into his clothes than usual.

He was taking the long way, slowly driving through the suburban parts of town to look at all the Christmas lights.

"This is nice." Her voice reflected warmth and amusement. This time, her hand had stilled on the windowpane, fingers resting against the cheerful lights that were reflected.

"When I was a child and my parents would drive through this part, I would always try to grab the lights." She laughed in memory.

He lowered the windows in response. "Now you can try."

She flashed him a grin before turning back to the sights.

_It's way too cold right now  
To drive with the windows down_

He was glad for the momentary distraction to think. So far, so good and she seemed to be enjoying herself. Then, unbidden and unwillingly, a thought sprung in his mind, turning his mouth dry: Maybe she only agreed to come because she had nothing better to do. Maybe she wished she was somewhere else with someone else. He glanced at the clock.

_I'm a bit nervous have you noticed  
One hand on ten the other three_

He risked a glance at her. She was smiling, but her eyes were on the sights outside her window. At least she's happy and smiling, he told himself.

"This is great, Shika! Thanks!"

She had a way of dispelling the insecurities that would rise in him. Maybe she could be confident enough for two; she can be the idealistic dreamer with her eyes to the stars and he could be the earth that grounds them. He shook his head. Love does turn one into a poet.

_I hint a smile sometimes I see  
You smiling back at me_

From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw her looking intently at him and smiling, but when he turned she was directing her line of sight out the window. Of course, she never really looked his way like that before. It must be the darkness and the illusion of the lights.

_Curbs are lined with Christmas trees  
While January's still shaking  
Itself free from December_

He pulled up and told her to wait. Taking a basket with one hand out of the trunk, he opened her door and offered his hand.

"Where are we going?"

"An answer awaits for those who are patient" he answered cryptically. The good part about being a genius strategist was that he could talk in riddles.

"That's what you said before."

"No, I said 'You'll see' last time."

She frowned.

"Ino, do you trust me?"

"Yes."

:This time she took his hand and he led them through the crowds, following a map in his head.

_People are ready to trade in  
Christmas lights for fireworks and  
Midnight kisses_

There were people scurrying around in their best, despite the cold, hurrying to catch a New Year's party or to make it to the celebrations in the streets. Their breaths like a mist in the cold air and her delicate hand clutched in his, he felt like they were the only ones that truly existed. Everyone passing by was a crowd in a daydream that would dissipate like clouds.

He shook himself of his reverie. They were finally there. Up and up they ascended the building until they got to the top.

"Do you like it?" he asked her, a hint of anxiety creeping into his voice.

Her eyes were wide with wonderment. They had a sky full of stars and this far up, there were lesser light pollutions from the city.

"It's wonderful" Ino breathed and sat down next to him.

He uncovered the basket revealing food. "Are you hungry? I brought us some food."

She smiled a bit sheepishly. "Yeah, I am. My dinner wasn't that great. My parents threw their usual New Year's dinner party with stuffy people and I was required to make an appearance."

She accepted his offering of a sandwich and after a pleasant lull of silence, she regarded him thoughtfully.

"Shikamaru, I didn't know you had it in you. This is great planning."

He snorted. "You forget my job is all about planning and strategies."

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. This is really wonderful. Thank you." And she flashed him a smile that lit up her face.

_I don't want to wait  
Hoping for the perfect day_

This is the moment, he thought to himself. Things couldn't be better. He hesitated. She was ransacking the basket for more food, finding the fruit salad he had tucked in and the cookies.

"You act like you hadn't eaten in days."

"You wouldn't know! I couldn't eat, there were too many people trying to talk to me."

And he felt a slight stab of jealousy. Of course, she was always the popular one. Maybe he wasn't good enough for her. Maybe he should wait.

_It doesn't seem quite strange  
To trade in all I could have saved  
Wasting everything I have right now_

"Look! It's starting to snow."

And they watched in silence while the city slowly became blanketed in snow. Shikamaru was finishing up his drink when he felt something warm at his side. Ino was cuddling into his side trying to steal some warmth.

"Cold?"

"Yeah."

He congratulated himself for having the foresight to pack a blanket. He gave it to her, expecting her to drape it on herself, but was surprised to see her draping it on both of them.

"I don't want you to get sick!" she protested.

"Yeah, yeah" he grumbled but was pleased at how things turned out.

When the countdown began, his mouth went dry again and his heartbeat quickened. Ino was too busy counting along to notice. When the ball dropped, she yelled "Happy New Year!" and gave him a dazzling smile. He didn't have time to think and perhaps that was fortunate, else he would have retreated.

_I don't want to wait  
Hoping for that perfect day  
Wasting everything I have right now_

He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips…then waited for the inevitable pain that were to follow. When none came, he peeked at her. She was staring intently at him, saying nothing. When the fireworks began, he could see the flashing of lights like exploding miniature suns in her brilliant, clear blue eyes.

I love you.

Did he say it out loud or did he just merely thought it? Her eyes had a way of hypnotizing him, entrancing him and drowning him with their depths.

_It doesn't seem quite strange  
To trade in all I could have saved  
Wasting everything I have right now_

She smiled like she knew it all along and gently took his hand. Together they watched the city unfold under the new year that has just begun. For two people that knew each other for so long, confessions weren't a theatrical, passionate thing.

_I don't want to wait  
Hoping for that perfect day_

Nothing was perfect from a realist's viewpoint. But this was close to it.

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Author's Notes: a bit too sweet and clichéd, don't you think? Maybe I should throw in some psychological mind turns here and there?  
I intentionally left things vague. Thanks for reading! Comments and reviews appreciated.


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